Admissions Policy

MANCHESTER MESIVTA SCHOOL

ADMISSIONS POLICY

Manchester Mesivta is a Voluntary Aided school for boys situated in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, serving the needs of the Orthodox Jewish residents of the Greater Manchester area. The school seeks to provide a broad and balanced education based on Torah values combined with the National Curriculum.

The school delivers an extensive Yeshiva-orientated Torah syllabus combined with the National Curriculum leading to GCSE and ‘A/S’ levels. It caters for boys in the age range of 10-16. The independent Manchester Jewish Grammar School continues to offer sixth form studies to Advanced Level on the same site. The school is suitable for boys who wish to proceed eventually to a Yeshiva and who are thus motivated to achieve a high degree of proficiency in Torah studies as well as an advanced secular standard.

Open Afternoon

All prospective parents and pupils are invited to attend an open afternoon in November when they will be able to tour the school, observe classes and meet with the Principal.

N.B. If you have not returned your local authority application form (CAF), please do so immediately, marking the Manchester Mesivta as your school of preference.

Admissions Policy

The Governing Body seeks to serve boys from Orthodox Jewish families who wish their sons to receive secondary education in a school whose principles and daily life are based on Torah values. Admissions to the school will be conducted in compliance with statutory obligations. Accordingly boys with a Statement of Special Educational Needs that names the school will be given a place at the school.

Admission Number

The number of boys to be admitted into Year 7 at age 11 each year is 40.

Over-subscription Criteria:

In respect of applications on behalf of Orthodox Jewish Boys, the Governing Body takes the expression ‘Orthodox Jewish’ to mean ‘a boy who has a parent or guardian participating daily in the worship and other observances of an Orthodox Jewish Congregation’.

Attendance will be considered on the basis of the parent and child attending for a minimum of 2 years prior to the date of the application.

Applicants should complete the supplementary information form which is obtainable from the school or from Bury Local Authority and return the form to the school by 30th November 2019.

Places will be offered without reference to ability.

In the event of over-subscription, the Governing Body will give priority in oversubscription criteria ii to iv boys whose worship and observances are confirmed by the Rabbi of the Congregation where the family members participate in worship. The oversubscription criteria will be applied in the order set out below, in order to decide which boys to admit:

1

Orthodox Jewish boys in public care (LAC) and previously looked after Orthodox Jewish boys. Previously looked after children are children who were looked after, but ceased to be so because they were adopted by an Orthodox Jewish family (or became subject to a residence order within an Orthodox Jewish family or special guardianship order within an Orthodox Jewish family

2

Other looked after boys in public care (LAC) and previously looked after boys. Previously looked after children are children who were looked after, but ceased to be so because they were adopted (or became subject to a residence order or special guardianship order).

3

Orthodox Jewish Boys with a brother, step brother, half brother or adoptive brother at the school at the time of admission;

4

Orthodox Jewish Boys who have attended either Yesoiday HaTorah (Voluntary Aided) School or Broughton Jewish Cassel Fox (Voluntary Aided) Primary School (or the successors to these schools), with which the Manchester Mesivta has a longstanding association;

5

Other Orthodox Jewish Boys not included in (i) to (iv) above;

6

Other boys.

If there is over-subscription in any category, places will be offered using distance from home to school as a criterion. The distance will be measured using the Local Authority’s computerised mapping system, which uses the ordnance survey integrated network. The route will be measured using a walking distance from the point on the highway nearest to the centre of the house to the mid-point of the school. This route must be paved and have street lights. Those living closer on this basis will receive the higher priority.

Where the final place can be taken by two or more boys living an equal distance from the school, (for example two boys living in the same block of flats) the Local Authority will then use random allocation to decide which of the boys can be offered a place.

If there is a situation where only one place is available and the next boy to be offered is one of twins or other multiple births, both boys or the brothers of multiple birth will be offered places.

If applications are received after the closing date, they will be dealt with as late applications, and will not be considered until after those applications which were received on time.

Waiting List

The Governing Body will maintain a waiting list of applicants. Boys will be placed on that list in order as determined by the criteria stated above. Places will be offered to boys on the waiting list as vacancies arise in accordance with Bury LEA’s arrangements.

General

The school will consult the Bury local authority, neighbouring local authorities and others as required by the School Admissions Code on its admission arrangements. It will establish arrangements for appeals against non-admission with an Independent Appeals Committee. Details of the admissions and appeals arrangements will be published each year.